What Are You?
by BeckaBear94
Summary: The first emotion that runs through her head should be panic. They only started romantically seeing each other recently, and she should be in complete freak out mode. But she's not. She's… content? Yeah, content. In fact, she might even like the sound of it.


**I'M BACK! I know I haven't written a scrap of anything in months, but I just wasn't feeling like a writer. I guess I still don't, but I had an idea and decided to see where it took me. I don't really know what happened with this or where it came from, but I might like it almost. **

**Disclaimer: ****_Castle _****and it's respective characters appearing in "What Are You?" belong to ABC. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, as this work is an interpretation of the original material. References to people, places, things, or events are completely fictional and are not intended to be libelous in any way, shape, or form. All characters are the property of Andrew Marlow ****_et al_**** and I own nothing. I think that pretty much covers it…**

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She looked gorgeous this evening. He'd somewhat hesitantly asked her to accompany him to a party hosted by Black Pawn, a publicity event for _Nikki Heat_. In the past, she never wanted to come, but that was _before_. In fact, he was almost certain she would say no, since their relationship only became public news to their friends and families days ago.

However, she said yes! And when he picked her up tonight, the air left his lungs, and forget about words, he needed oxygen! She wore a strapless dark blue dress that hugged her every curve perfectly, and Lord, if he'd be damned if he had to focus on anything else tonight.

So he didn't. They'd been dancing together for a while now, they were silent, wrapped up in each other's touch and gaze, the publicity part of the evening completely forgotten, when a peppy looking blonde with a notepad, a man with a camera, and a small entourage of more people he didn't know or want to know rudely interrupted them.

"Mr. Castle, it's such a pleasure to see you again!" Was he supposed to know this woman? The peppy looking blonde practically shoved Kate aside, holding onto Castle's bicep and invading his personal space in a way that Beckett wasn't entirely comfortable with. Scratch that, she wasn't comfortable with it _at all_.

She grinned when Rick slid his arm out of the pesky reporter's hands and gripped Kate's waist, bringing her as close as possible to his side. The photographer snapped a few pictures, and Rick immediately swung into publicity mode, plastering his publicity smile on his face – the one that didn't _quite _reach his eyes like it did when he looked at Kate – and began answering questions about his latest book.

Just when Kate started to excuse herself to go get some drinks because she could _really _use a stiff drink right now, and Rick probably could, too, the reporter turned to her with a tight-lipped smile and asked, "So, Rick, who's this?" Oh, God, no, she just wanted to stay out of this. She knew this would be a very public event, and she'd wanted to come to support Rick. But, it honestly never occurred to her that the public eye would take any interest in _her_.

"Well this is my umm… my… uhh… this is Kate." Rick finally sputtered out, his smooth charm gone and a look of… confusion_?_ spread across his face.

Sensing his description was inadequate, though, he continued talking, "uhh… she's Nikki. Or no! The inspiration for Nikki, I mean, she's not _actually _Nikki… she's Kate."

Naturally, this earned Rick a classic Beckett eye roll.

The group stood and talked small talk for a few more minutes, but Castle never really recovered from the sputtering mess he sort of melted into. The reporter seemed to understand that nothing more would come from talking to an incoherent writer, so she _finally _closed her little notebook and let the photographer snap a few more pictures before making an excuse about seeing Patterson on the other side of the room.

Seconds later, Rick had Kate by the arm, dragging her through the crowd and into the bathroom, where he promptly locked the door, leaving one very confused detective and one very odd acting writer alone on the inside.

"Rick, I know this is a snazzy bathroom and all, but I think we figured that earlier, and I'm not a two-quickies in the bathroom in one night kind of girl. But I think you know that by now, so do you want to tell me what's gotten into you?"

"What are you?"

"Huh…?" What _even_? Seriously, what was going on with him?

"I mean… to me… are you my _girlfriend_? Because technically, that's not wrong, but it's not right either. I mean I'm committed to you and you are to me, but _girlfriend _can't be the right word. It's too juvenile. I've had plenty of girlfriends before and never, not once have I felt like this."

Her eyes narrow at the mention of his playboy past, because it's still sort of a sore spot for her, but she doesn't say anything about it because she knows it's the past. But, his explanation does little to clear things up for her.

"Juvenile?" she asks the question as she walks closer to him, placing a hand on his chest and looking straight into his eyes, "if you think last night was _juvenile _you might need to get your dictionary out, Writer-Man."

She can see his eyes darken and his spine straighten as he recalls their… err… _adventurous _evening last night. No, definitely not juvenile. But that's not exactly what he's talking about, either right now, so he forges onward.

"That's my point, Kate; we're more than that, yes?"

Umm… well, yeah, she supposed they were. They already did the get-to-know you stuff, they did that for four years, and who was she kidding? _Boyfriend _made him sound like a seventeen-year-old boy that she's known for a few months. She nodded in agreement, unable to form words as Rick's logic washed over her.

"So what are we?" Rick asked quietly, loosely wrapping his arms around the woman he loved.

"I don't know, Rick, but do you want to hear a secret? You're my one-and-done. You're it for me, so you're right, _boyfriend _seems childish."

If the grin spreading across his face got any bigger, she thought, his smile would just consume his entire face.

"You just said I was right!"

Lord, she should have known that when she confessed that she thought he was "it" for her, all he would get out of the sentence would be the "you're right" part.

She rolled her eyes, of course, but the full effect was lost on him because she couldn't resist laughing herself.

"Yes, Rick. Now don't get too happy, because pretty soon that ego will be so big that I can't fit into a bed with you at night."

Well, that wiped the smile off his face.

"I'm your 'one-and-done,' Kate?!"

The hopefulness and love in his eyes is unmistakable, and when she smiles and nods, he literally picks her up and spins her in a circle.

Once her feet plant themselves on the ground again, Kate speaks again, "I suppose, in that case, it'd be a good time to say that I love you, too, right Castle?"

"That's splendid news, Kate, because," and when he continues speaking, any playfulness that had been present in their conversation was gone and his tone becomes completely serious," one day, I'm going to marry you."

The first emotion that runs through her head _should _be panic. They only started romantically seeing each other recently, and she should be in complete freak out mode. But she's not. She's… content? Yeah, content. In fact, she might even like the sound of it.

She can't really think of anything to say, though, so she leans in and kisses him. As her lips glide across his, though, neither one can tame their smiles enough, so they're really just standing with their heads together smiling like goofballs.

"So is that a yes?"

"Well, you'll have to ask me for real someday, but for now, how about some champagne?"

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**Waddya think?!**

**Also, I would like to note the disappointment I feel in the fact that this site does not support the interrobang (the real "?!" punctuation).**


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